Is it allowed to let a toddler sleep alone in a hotel room?

At 7 p.m., it's bedtime for your toddler, even on vacation. And then what? Should you keep an eye on your child in the hotel room for safety reasons, or turn on the baby monitor and head out for a cozy dinner or to the hotel bar?

Just thinking about it, many parents have a thousand reasons why they would never let their toddler sleep alone in a hotel room. The child could wake up and be terrified in the new surroundings. They could want to watch the entertainment from the balcony and fall off. And last but not least, burglars, cleaning staff, room service, technical crew, and management could gain access to the room.

Hotels may restrict the leaving of children alone in their general terms and conditions (GTC) or house rules.

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In addition to these concerns, there is at least one real event that poses a danger to children sleeping alone: ​​a fire alarm. In a real fire, every second counts. If a child is alone in a room, parents have to climb many meters to get them out. Even in a test alarm, travelers must leave the hotel as quickly as possible – and often can't return to their room for many minutes or even hours. Especially abroad, it can be difficult to explain to hotel staff why you need to rush to your room when the fire alarm sounds.

What is the legal basis? "Parents bear full responsibility for the well-being and safety of their child, as they are subject to a duty of supervision and care (legal basis: the Basic Law and the German Civil Code)," attorney Stefan Dinnendahl, deputy general manager of the German Hotel Association (IHA), told reisereporter. "If this is safely possible, parents should of course try to pick up their child." They should continue to follow emergency plans, designated escape routes, and evacuation instructions.

“From a purely legal perspective, there is no general ban on letting children sleep alone in a hotel room – regardless of whether a baby monitor is used or not,” Dinnendahl told reisereporter.

However, parents don't always decide whether their child can sleep alone in a hotel room. Some hotels regulate this themselves. "In practice, a hotel can restrict leaving children alone in its general terms and conditions or house rules," says Dinnendahl. "If in doubt, parents should check with the hotel in advance."

For those who still want to enjoy a little downtime on vacation in the evening without feeling guilty: There are numerous hotels that offer babysitting services – "especially those that specifically target families," says Dinnendahl. Information about this can be found on the hotels' websites or through hotel partnerships.

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